Workshop

Scientific Communication: Principles and Practice

Universidade do Minho, Braga
Auditório da ELACH
10/04/2026

Event post

Context

Have you ever explained something... and suddenly realized the other person did not get it?

Workshop content

  • Structuring ideas
  • Avoiding overload
  • Making abstract ideas concrete
  • Using voice and body language to communicate more clearly

About me

  • Senior Lecturer at the University of Lyon
  • Mathematics + Communication
Video reference: MT180 - Bastien Marguet

Exercise 1 - Warm-up

  • Work in pairs
  • 1 minute per person
  • Introduce yourself
  • No constraints, no framework
A first elevator talk: just speak, without overthinking it.

Exercise 1 - Add a framework

Imagine this: a job interview for your dream job.

Who are you?

Say clearly who you are, in a simple and direct way.

What do you study or work on?

Name your field, your subject, or what you actually do.

Why does it matter?

Give the listener a reason to care and remember you.

What did you feel?

  • More confidence
  • A clearer message
  • Less dispersion
  • Easier to be understood
Conclusion: time constraint helps you select, structure, and clarify.

Avoiding overload

To avoid overload, we will explain a concept by answering 3 simple questions:

  • What is it?
  • How it works?
  • Why it matters (for me)?

Example: ambiguity in language

What is it?
Ambiguity is when one sentence or expression can have more than one meaning.

How it works?
It happens when words, grammar, or context allow different interpretations.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because if I do not detect ambiguity, I may misunderstand the message or communicate it badly.

Exercise 2 - Practice in 3 sentences

Choose 2 concepts and explain each one in 3 sentences:

  • Translation
  • Interpretation
  • Meaning
  • Metaphor
  • Irony
Remember: What is it? - How it works? - Why it matters (for me)?

Correction: translation

What is it?
Translation is changing a message from one language into another.

How it works?
You understand the original message, then reformulate it in another language while keeping the meaning.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because good translation helps people understand each other across languages.

Correction: interpretation

What is it?
Interpretation is oral translation in real time.

How it works?
You listen, understand quickly, and say the message in another language almost immediately.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because communication can continue live between people who do not share the same language.

Correction: meaning

What is it?
Meaning is the idea or message that words try to express.

How it works?
It comes from words, context, tone, and situation, not only from the dictionary definition.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because if I miss the meaning, I may repeat words without understanding the message.

Correction: metaphor

What is it?
A metaphor explains one thing through another image.

How it works?
It connects an abstract idea to a concrete picture people already know.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because it can make a difficult idea easier to imagine and remember.

Correction: irony

What is it?
Irony is when the speaker means something different from the literal words.

How it works?
The real meaning comes from tone, context, and shared knowledge.

Why it matters (for me)?
Because if I take irony literally, I misunderstand the speaker's intention.

What is the value of this constraint?

  • It forces you to select what really matters
  • It makes your message clearer
  • It reduces overload for the listener
  • It helps you organize your ideas quickly

Last part: beyond words

Objective: use the body, the voice, pauses, and eye contact to support understanding.

  • The body makes intention visible
  • The voice creates emphasis and rhythm
  • Pauses give structure
  • Eye contact checks whether communication is working
Video reference: How to sound smart in your TEDx Talk | Will Stephen | TEDxNewYork

Exercise 3 - Final practice

Use the same structure and explain something that matters to you.

  • Master's students or PhD students: explain your thesis or your research topic
  • Bachelor's students: explain your degree, your future field, or your dream job

Keep the same logic: What is it? How does it work? Why does it matter?

And use your body, your voice, pauses, and eye contact.